Shelf Life Enhancement Of Coconut Burfi – An Indian Traditional Sweet

Coconut burfi is a popular traditional sweet of south India. The high
percentage of saturated fat present in the product makes it susceptible to
hydrolytic rancidity. The resulting increase in free fatty acid content coupled
with mold growth limit its shelf life to 7–10 days in unpacked condition.
Studies have been carried out on packaging and storage aspects of coconut
burfi to extend its shelf life. The samples were packed in flexible pouches of
multilayer films consisting of (1) polyester/polyethylene; and (2) polyester/
aluminum foil/polypropylene under the following conditions: (1) normal
packing; (2) 99% vacuum packaging; and (3) in-package heat processing, and
were stored at 27C temperature and 65% relative humidity and periodically
withdrawn to monitor changes in chemical, microbiological and sensory
qualities. A maximum of 75 days shelf life was obtained for heat-processed
samples as against <15 and 45 days for air and vacuum packed samples
respectively in both packaging materials.